1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to switch mechanisms for safe activation of energy on an electrosurgical instrument. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to switching mechanisms for engaging high energy contacts prior to activation of the energy source.
2. Background of Related Art
Many surgical procedures are enhanced by the use of energy during the procedure. Special surgical instruments have been developed to utilize the energy during the surgical procedures. These instruments are typically termed “electrosurgical instruments” and include provisions for utilizing energy to cauterize, cut, etc. tissue during various surgical procedures. Typically, during these surgical procedures, a distal portion of the electrosurgical instrument is engaged with tissue and the energy source turned on, or activated, by a switching mechanism to supply the energy to tissue. The energy applied to the tissue may take various forms including energy sources ranging from a microwave to direct current, radiofrequency, etc.
Issues may arise within the switch mechanism itself during activation of the electrosurgical instrument. These electrical surgical instruments include switching mechanisms which utilize materials such as copper, brass, gold, silver, plastics, etc. for the high-energy contacts and which are highly efficient in transmitting energy. However, due to the nature of these materials, they are susceptible to damage as the contacts are brought together while energized. Specifically, “arcing”, or jumping of the energy across the contacts prior to the contacts being brought together, may result as the high-energy contacts are brought together with the high-energy source switched on. This arcing often results in damage to the high-energy contacts themselves reducing the efficiency of the contacts. Furthermore, during most surgical procedures utilizing electrosurgical instruments, multiple activations of the surgical instrument are usually required. This results in multiple instances of arcing across the high-energy contacts such that each arcing event results in a progressive degradation of the quality and efficiency of the high-energy contacts. Thus, as the electrosurgical instrument is used multiple times during the surgery it becomes progressively less efficient.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a safe switching mechanism which is capable of connecting the high-energy contacts prior to activating the high-energy source in order to avoid problems such as arcing and the resultant damage to the high-energy contacts.